What does indigent mean?
Indigent means lacking the money or other resources needed to meet essential needs, such as food, housing, medical care, or legal representation. It is a formal word frequently encountered in legal, charitable, and public-health settings, where it may describe people who cannot afford services or support themselves. The adjective is commonly used in expressions such as “indigent people,” “indigent families,” and “financially indigent.” Although the related noun can refer to a person without sufficient means, it may sound distant or stigmatizing in contemporary use. Describing the condition rather than labeling people is often more respectful, as in “a person experiencing poverty” or “a low-income household.” The word’s formal tone gives it greater gravity than the everyday term “poor,” while remaining similar in meaning.
Lacking the financial or other resources needed for a reasonable standard of living or to meet basic needs.
"The program provides essential medication to indigent residents."
Formal; especially common in legal, charitable, and public-health contexts.
A person who lacks sufficient financial resources or means to support themselves.
"The court appointed an attorney to represent the indigent."
Common in legal and social-service terminology, but may sound dated or stigmatizing when used to label a person.
Plural is used mainly in legal and social-service contexts; modern usage may prefer “people experiencing poverty” or “low-income individuals.”
"The program offers housing assistance to indigents and other low-income households."
The word comes from the Latin indigere, meaning “to be in need,” giving modern English a formal label for a condition that affects every society.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indigent come from?
Indigent comes through French from Latin indigens or indigentis, a present participle related to indigere, “to be in need” or “to lack.” The Latin family is associated with indigenus, “native” or “born within,” and ultimately with a root referring to being born or originating. English also has related forms such as indigenous, indigena, and indigenism, although their modern meanings and grammatical uses differ.
How indigent is actually used
As an adjective, “indigent” is formal and especially common in legal, social-service, and public-health contexts. As a noun, it can sound dated or stigmatizing; in modern writing, “person experiencing poverty” or “low-income person” may be more respectful, depending on context.